Stephen Curry and the Warriors Surge with Championship Aspirations
SAN FRANCISCO — In a thrilling display of skill and determination, Stephen Curry once again proved why he is one of the most electrifying players in the NBA. On Friday night, Curry split two Denver Nuggets defenders, nailed a 20-foot pull-up shot while being fouled, and let out a triumphant scream, stomping his feet in celebration. This moment was emblematic of the Golden State Warriors‘ current form, as they secured their fifth consecutive victory with a 118-104 win over the Nuggets at Chase Center.
Reflecting on the game, Curry emphasized the importance of the moment, saying, “[There’s a] sense of urgency down the stretch. The feeling of where you are in the standings, every game mattering. And the idea that the chess match of ‘how do we win this particular game?’ becomes a little bit more important.” He continued, “We thrive off of that. That’s why we’ve been so successful for this many years. Because as the stakes rise, the lights get brighter, we tend to level up.”
Curry’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. He drained seven 3-pointers and scored 36 points to lead the Warriors past the Nuggets. Over the past three games, Curry has amassed a total of 125 points, a feat second only to LeBron James for the most points in a three-game span by a player aged 37 or older, according to ESPN Research.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr praised Curry’s conditioning and resilience, stating, “In three different cities at 37, he looked so fast out there tonight, and I think maybe it’s the most underrated part of his game, is his conditioning. Just incredible what he does out there, especially considering how much attention he draws defensively, how much pressure people put on him, and he handles it night after night and flourishes.”
The Warriors’ resurgence can be attributed in part to the acquisition of Jimmy Butler before the trade deadline. Since Butler’s debut in Chicago on February 8, the Warriors have transformed into a formidable force, boasting a 21-5 record. During All-Star weekend, Draymond Green boldly declared that the Warriors would win the championship with Butler on the roster. This week, the team backed up Green’s words with action, winning three consecutive games that felt like playoff matchups against teams above them in the Western Conference standings.
Golden State (46-31) secured a crucial victory in Memphis on Tuesday, gaining the tiebreaker over the Grizzlies. They followed that up with a win against the Lakers in Los Angeles on Thursday and then returned home to defeat Denver in the second game of a back-to-back. Friday’s victory snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Nuggets (47-31).
When asked if the Warriors are playing like a championship-caliber team, Curry responded, “We’re playing like that. We have a lot of work. I’ve been saying that since this run started. We still have a lot of work to do to finish the year strong. You are seeing an identity on a night-to-night that we understand how to win games. Whether it’s games where tempo is a lot faster, you got to score or if it’s a grind-out defensive game. We’ve played better in fourth quarters with leads. All the things that championship-caliber teams do, we’ve been doing and it’s clearly different than two months ago.”
Curry added, “For us to just be able to get into a playoffs series, we understand what we’re capable of, and whether you’re predicting it or speaking it into existence or whatever it is, the confidence is there. So just ride that wave.”
The Warriors are indeed riding a wave of momentum since the Butler trade. Curry and Green have found new energy, and role players like Brandin Podziemski, who scored 26 points against the Nuggets one night after dropping 28 against the Lakers, are thriving alongside Butler.
Looking ahead, the Warriors face the Houston Rockets on Sunday, a team currently second in the West. Golden State’s goal is to remain in the top six and avoid the play-in tournament.
- Golden State’s current record: 46-31
- Recent victories: Memphis, Lakers, Nuggets
- Upcoming opponent: Houston Rockets
Coach Kerr summed up the team’s mindset, saying, “We’ve got momentum right now. The Memphis one was probably the big one to kick off this three-game stretch. And so to string these wins together against three teams all ahead of us in the standings at the time, massive. We’ve got five games left, we know we’ve got to win four of them to guarantee a top-six spot, so we just got to keep going.”
Originally Written by: Ohm Youngmisuk
